Baby Shiloh

Finally! I'm not the only one in my family "multiplying and replenishing the earth!" My younger brother, Dustin and his wife Lyna, just welcomed a baby girl early yesterday morning. She's gorgeous like her mom, and already a tease like her dad.




10 minutes old



Proud Mommy


Proud Daddy



Sticking her tongue out at big sister ;)


Six hours old

Dud - I see a cute little chin dimple like her mama!! How cute is that?!?

Fun or Fiasco? You tell me...

First of all, I have left my camera at my mom's so until I can get up there and get it, no pictures! :(

K, so yesterday we went to Disneyland. Dillon has this whole week off of school, James was post call and had been begging me for another trip to the happiest place on earth. So I was like, "Oh alright. The kids would just be here messing up the house all day anyway."

We get there, and its not too crowded. It's been a little rainy all day and looks like it might get worse so a lot of people were leaving the park. We're thinking "SWEET - no lines!" It was kinda cold and rainy- but we've done DL in much much worse.

We go on Pirates and then Annabelle poops and while I'm changing her the guys go on Winnie the Pooh. Then we all go on Haunted Mansion- Annabelle doesn't enjoy herself and cries pretty much the whole time. Next we head over to Tiki room and then dinner. While we're waiting to be seated, Charlie has to go potty. Just before James gets him there, he pees his pants! So he comes back, gets the spare undies and pants and changes him. As soon as he gets back Dillon has to go. We sit down, I order and when James gets back we eat- TOTALLY expensive and not-so-fabulous food. Half way through, Dillon says hes gotta go #2 and James is off to the toilet again, while I deal with Annabelle who has just woken up starving and there is no way I can feed her, feed Charlie and pay the bill. SHE IS SCREAMING.

So we run to Pirates again just so I can feed her somewhere indoors and with some privacy (dark, not crowded). While on the ride, I look over at Charlie and his face communicates to me that he has just messed himself again. No more spare undies and pants and its' now dark and COLD.... we're done. So, now we're heading out of the park feeling sick from our dinner, 2 kids screaming and one with soaking wet pants, we're all freezing and thinking that our "happy place" isn't so happy today.

When we get to the car, Dillon is crying b/c he's hungry, Charlie is SCREAMING and throwing an all out breathless tantrum b/c we've put him in a diaper and he's "NOT A BABY ANYMORE!!!" Annabelle is getting upset because of all the noise and James and I, well we were ready to rage against the machine!!!

All in all we decided that it might not be possible to do Disneyland while potty training. I don't know.

(Sigh) Life is good. I love being a mom. I'm good enough, smart enough and gol darnit! People like me!

Here's some recent cards and pages for Paper Posies :)







My valentines "card" for James-

Finding friends in blogland..

Lately I have "found" a lot of old friends through this crazy thing called blogland. It is so fun and so exciting seeing what they've been up to and how they've all multiplied their families exponentially!

I thought it would be fun to say a little bit about some of my "new" old friends :) (some of their blogs are private, so the links might not work)

Amy
A really cute girl I've known since Jr. High. She was better friends with my brother who once teased her by calling her, "Notso" because her last name was Smart. He thought he was pretty clever. (roll eyes) I always thought she was so cute and skinny and fun. She's now married to another MCHS Mustang and has two adorable boys!!

Emily
I first met her at drill team try-outs when I was 15! UNBELIEVABLE high kick! Over the next two years we spent WAY too much time together sweating and laughing, and I wonder if "Monie Monie" brings back any memories to her? Eh Em? lol

Holly
Met her when I was ten. Good ol' Mendon stock, she is. We hung out a lot when we were younger and she was one of those girls that always had a good attitude about everything. A decade, husband and two kids later, I don't think that has changed!

Jami
Met her the first day of 5th grade. Gorgeous then, gorgeous now! Another west valley girl and fellow drill-teamer :) She's now got her hands full with 3 boys ages 4 and under!

Jamie
From the same town where the berries in my jam came from! ;) One of the sweetest persons I've ever met. We hung out a lot in Jr. High- lots of fun memories. She's got an adorable daughter!

Julia
Met her at drill team try-outs too. BEAUTIFUL girl- who I now share a neice with! Long story. Big smile. Big heart. She's got a couple of cute kiddos too!

Melissa
I met her one day while visiting her sister-in-law. She was a fellow 27th ward'er. We had babies like three days apart from each other. Lots of baby showers, lots of book clubs and ward activities - all good memories. FOUR children now- all completely scrumptious! She's also dealing with potty training at the moment.. ugh!

Meghan
Met in high school. Super cute and super sweet. Also married a Mustang :) We really got to know each other when we were in the 27th ward and were both pregnant with the world's cutest baby boys! She's now got two darling daughters as well.

Tiffany
Met her at church and it was one of those "Kindred Spirit" experiences. She's someone I just loved to death from the minute I met her. BIG laugh, BIG smile, fun personality. She taught seminary to my brother-in-law and her sister fell in love with my brother after we tried playing matchmaker! Alas, it lasted a mere 2 or three weeks.... (sigh) ;) We lost touch for a few years, but I found 'er! Now she's the proud Momma of 2 girls and 2 boys and as awesome as ever.

That was fun.

****Potty Training**** (Life on hold)

Oh Man. I HATE potty training. It seems like it was so much easier with Dillon. I think the main difference is, I HAD MORE TIME! My days are filled to the brim with yucky messes- even though Charlie is catching on and I know it could be SO MUCH WORSE! I just have so many other people to care for and things to do, that accidents are happening, and stress is rising!
He's in underwear all day (even during naps) and does awesome peeing in the potty 99%of the time. I need someone to help me figure out how to help him go #2 in the potty. How do I ease his fears?

Many aspects of my life have been put on hold. All the fun stuff (blogging, scrapbooking, playgroups) was the first to go, and the house work was next! My house is a wreck. Besides cleaning up poop, spit-up, drool and food messes, its not happening. It's also been so long since James and I had any sort of date or alone time. So yeah, we need to cross this milestone and FAST!

Three major things happened over the last couple of weeks. First of all, the prophet of my church died. When a man is 97 you know its coming, but it was still a shock. I loved this man. His inspired words have answered my prayers and been the motivation behind big changes in my life. His sense of humor lifted my spirits and enhanced my love for the gospel. The emotion that I felt was so different than what I had expected. Mostly I was happy for him. He had worked soooo hard for so many years and now he can begin to receive his great reward and be with his sweetheart again.



When the new first presidency was announced I felt a rush of joy and the peace of the Holy Spirit confirm to me that these are the men to guide us onward. They look excited don't they? :)



The second major thing was that I have a new nephew! JAYCE RYAN COOK was born on Wednesday, Jan 30th. He's still teeny tiny and in the special care nursery, but growing and doing better every day! CONGRATULATIONS RY AND EM! Pictures soon, hopefully.

Appropriately third, Charlie turned THREE!



The birthday boy in his birthday suit!



It was pretty uneventful on the actual day, but Saturday we had a big birthday party with all the boys' friends and celebrated with games and goodies, super-hero style! I made capes for all our little superhero guests, which was an adventure in and of itself! Though they were incredibly simple, just knowing that I can actually sew and make something like this was GREAT for me. I had fun doing it!



Most everyone enjoyed playing superhero, seeing how far they could fly with their capes, hitting the pinata, eating cake and ice cream and playing with the toys. Charlie, was ALL about the presents and we had a hard time keeping him away from them until it was time!







Here Dillon is admiring the cake,



Charlie has still got both eyes on the presents!







Annabelle is a chunk! Check out these cheeks, and I think I've got a photo of her chunky thighs too!



Squishing her is about the funnest thing in the whole world. She's soooooooooooooo squishy. She's noisy now too! She giggles and squeals and laughs and makes all kinds of girly noises - Especially when her own personal entertainer (Dillon) sings this funny song. Listen to this!